Hello again dear reader or listener, remember the week between Xmas and NY doesn’t count for Santa’s list, so I hope you’ve been having fun these last few days of 2023!
If I’m being honest 2023 was a bit of a mixed bag and life stuff plus the undertaking of an MRes meant much less leisure reading for me this year. If I hadn’t signed up for so many ARCs in fact, I doubt I’d have read as much as I did in the end. But I am also pleased to say I had some great reads regardless and now I’m gonna do my best to give you a top five. This was the year I leaned a bit more into the thriller/horror/Gothic ambiances even though in this list you’ll also find various subgenres of fantasy such as steampunk, epic, and historical fantasy, as well as some romance.
The Corset
Review: The Corset by Laura Purcell
If nuanced character work calls to you, you don’t shy away from gothic horror with explicit gore, and you want something that keeps you on the edge of your seat with you breath held tight, dear reader, you’ll devour this cleverly woven book.